Hemingway Jones Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Hello Everyone! I've been lurking and reading quite a bit of the information here, thank you all! I've decided to buy a Wildkat because I wanted a good guitar to play slide on, but I didn't want it to be so good that I would be afraid if my hand slipped and went crashing into the binding or something. I think I'd cry if I did this to my LP! So, after much deliberation and agonizing over whether I should get a Casino or a Wildkat, -I had narrowed it down to these two because I wanted P90 pickups- I decided on the Kat! So, I'm going to set it up for blues slide and probably leave it in open E and open G tunings. Questions: do I need to do any special set up to leave it in an alternative tuning; will it have any effect on the tension of the strings on the neck in regards to warping? I'm a pretty light touch, so I probably won't have to raise the action, but are there any other considerations when setting this baby up for slide that I haven't thought of and you have run into over the years??? Comments and opinions are greatly appreciated! Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Hey Tim, welcome to the forums..........The Wildkat is a great choice for slide.....( For full disclosure, I don't own one YET )... I do a lot of slide myself.....There's lots of "schools of thought" on slide......You say you have a light touch; good...................... I keep a variety of guitars in open tunings; never have had a problem.....( Using 9s and 10s ).....When recording slide I use my favorite Gibby Les Paul re-tuned to whatever tuning, using 9 guage strings AND low action....I have no problem with doing it this way... But, a Wildkat with 10s, set up your favorite way will be a tone slide monster........... [thumbup] ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poopcicle Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Not to derail but the new Wildkat Royale black edition is a knockout I absolutely love it and the Royale black Swingster! I may have to sell my red Kat and upgrade (looks only)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemingway Jones Posted March 28, 2012 Author Share Posted March 28, 2012 Hi Damian! Thanks for the welcome. I haven't received mine yet. Frankly, I'm happy that I found one! They are very tough to come by. Probably because you get so much for so little cost. I am really impressed with Epiphone. So far, I played a casino that I loved. So impressive. I'm excited to own one for myself. I never realized that small things like tunings / string tension can have an effect on intonation and probably, for most of us, it never would -except for Startocasters where those back springs are touchy! But still, although Epiphones cost less, they are still great guitars and I want to do what's best for mine. Any advice, comments, that would help would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Nice collection you have Hemingway.......Yes, the new price on the Widkats is great.......... You're from Boston I see.......I lived there for quite a while......Good music scene................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPDEN Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I think Epiphone made a great business move dropping the prices on some of their models. They have created a demand for for guitars that were already worthy of owning, especially the Wildkat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemingway Jones Posted March 28, 2012 Author Share Posted March 28, 2012 Nice collection you have Hemingway.......Yes, the new price on the Widkats is great.......... You're from Boston I see.......I lived there for quite a while......Good music scene................. Thanks, So much! Yes, the music scene here is great. It's a great city. I think Epiphone made a great business move dropping the prices on some of their models. They have created a demand for for guitars that were already worthy of owning, especially the Wildkat. Seriously, $300 for a WildKat is really amazing. -If you can find one. The interesting dynamic going on with them is that it seems that the used ones are selling for slightly more than the new since it's so difficult to find one! They're on backorder until the Zombie Apocalypse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPDEN Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Thanks, So much! Yes, the music scene here is great. It's a great city. Seriously, $300 for a WildKat is really amazing. -If you can find one. The interesting dynamic going on with them is that it seems that the used ones are selling for slightly more than the new since it's so difficult to find one! They're on backorder until the Zombie Apocalypse! It's funny how that goes.. It reminds me of what one of the sales guys I know often says.. Certain gear can sit around his shop for years and the people walk right by it never giving a second look. Then when that same gear is gone, the same people are in a frenzy to find it and buy it.. Often at higher prices than they were originally going for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrasso Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Not to derail but the new Wildkat Royale black edition is a knockout I absolutely love it and the Royale black Swingster! I may have to sell my red Kat and upgrade (looks only)! Not to hijack the post, but just out of curiosity, I looked up the Royale black edition. Could not find the Wildkat, but found a Riviera P-93 Royale black on a site in France. Looks like most of these are for the European market. When did this happen? Did I miss a post? The photo of the Riviera was not the best. Look forward to seeing better photos on the web. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poopcicle Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Not to hijack the post, but just out of curiosity, I looked up the Royale black edition. Could not find the Wildkat, but found a Riviera P-93 Royale black on a site in France. Looks like most of these are for the European market. When did this happen? Did I miss a post? The photo of the Riviera was not the best. Look forward to seeing better photos on the web. Check zzounds website, They have a listing for a dot, wildkat and swingster and photos of the swingster and Kat! http://www.zzounds.com/item--EPIETBKLTD http://www.zzounds.com/item--EPIETS2LTD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I truly SUCK at slide, mostly because I DON'T have a light touch.... But I think what one likes and plays for slide is a personal thing, so no 'requirements'. But, raising the action and using heavy gauge strings does add advantages in both tone and ease of doing it. Wildcat seems ideal, because you can easily raise the bridge to the sky if you want, and put it back just as easy. The guitar also seems to be built to be able to take steel cabling if you want. It ain't frail. Upper fret access is NOT an issue for slide, and intonation is less important because with slide, you intonate while you play for the most part. And it has p-90's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Welcome! And no matter what you play on that 'Kat, slide or otherwise. I think you'll be a very happy Epi owner. I really like mine! It's just a great guitar for the money (and I bought mine before the price drop!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemingway Jones Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 I truly SUCK at slide, mostly because I DON'T have a light touch.... But I think what one likes and plays for slide is a personal thing, so no 'requirements'. But, raising the action and using heavy gauge strings does add advantages in both tone and ease of doing it. Wildcat seems ideal, because you can easily raise the bridge to the sky if you want, and put it back just as easy. The guitar also seems to be built to be able to take steel cabling if you want. It ain't frail. Upper fret access is NOT an issue for slide, and intonation is less important because with slide, you intonate while you play for the most part. And it has p-90's. Thanks for the tips. That all sounds great. It's good to know that it has the ability to easily raise and lower the action. I can't wait for it to get here to find out for myself. I've been paying slide since I first played back in the early 80s. I used to listen to a blues roots music show on NPR on Saturday and play along. I love the rawness and emotion of it. Welcome! And no matter what you play on that 'Kat, slide or otherwise. I think you'll be a very happy Epi owner. I really like mine! It's just a great guitar for the money (and I bought mine before the price drop!) I'm so psyched for this guitar. I really like the art deco style of Epiphone and the amazing tone. I can see a few more in my future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennyman Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Welcome! And no matter what you play on that 'Kat, slide or otherwise. I think you'll be a very happy Epi owner. I really like mine! It's just a great guitar for the money (and I bought mine before the price drop!) You do NOT want to know what I paid for mine.... I actually got mine in Korea, and you'd think that by going to "the source" so to speak, I would've gotten a heckuva deal. You'd be wrong. (But I'd do it again!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemingway Jones Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 So my Kat came and I am very impressed with the quality of it; the fit, the finish, how well everything goes together. There wiring is perfect, the tone is aggressive and fun. The neck is a little wide for me, but I adapted quickly. It's a very very nice guitar... Problem though.... I bought a Gibson Midtown this weekend and I can only keep one of them! So, I think I am going to have to sell the WildKat! It is new and still in the box. I hate to see it go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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